After 12 years exploring the seas, this adventurous couple drops anchor at Vallarta Yacht Club!
Vallarta Yacht Club is delighted to welcome two adventurous new members to our community: Elizabeth (Baggs) and Alan (Stretcher). Their story is a wonderful example of a shared love for sailing, discovery, and the freedom of life on the water.
Alan and Elizabeth came together later in life, marrying in 2008 on a rare warm and sunny spring day in San Francisco Bay—aboard Vivacia, their brand-new Caliber 40LRC monohull sailboat. Just three years later, after Elizabeth retired from Chevron and Alan sold his film transfer and corporate video production company, they turned left out the Golden Gate Bridge and began a new chapter they had always dreamed of.
Their sailing adventures on Vivacia included exploring the U.S. West Coast north to the San Juan Islands, heading south along Pacific Mexico to Huatulco, and sailing the Sea of Cortez as far north as El Refugio. They even joined the Puddle Jump from Puerto Vallarta to French Polynesia as crew.
Their explorations didn’t stop there. They continued on the U.S. East Coast, the west coast of Florida, the Bahamas, and all the way to Nova Scotia—this time aboard their current boat, a 2008 PDQ Antares 44i catamaran, also named Vivacia.
Elizabeth has a long history with sailing, from racing one-design boats and teaching youth sailing to mentoring cruising wives and big boat students who needed a little extra guidance and practice.
Alan, a skilled scuba diver and underwater cameraman, discovered sailing later in life after he and Elizabeth got the “crazy” idea to retire onto a sailboat. After many classes (and countless adventures), he fully embraced life under sail.
After 12 years of active cruising without a home port, Vivacia has spent the last two years as a waterfront condo in Paradise Village—she arrived in Mazatlán from the East Coast by transport ship. Meanwhile, Alan and Elizabeth have continued to explore the world by plane, RV, riverboat, and cruise ship.
Joining Vallarta Yacht Club felt like the perfect next step for these two lifelong adventurers. We are thrilled to have them as part of our community and can’t wait to hear more about their incredible journeys and have them involved in our community.
As they shared, "So naturally, the logical thing to do was join the yacht club. Thank you all for the warm welcome!"
When you see them at the club, be sure to say hello and give them a warm VYC welcome!